In the past, synthetic preservatives such as parabens, imidiazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, triclosan and quaternary ammonium compounds have been the mainstay of preservatives in cosmetics, toiletries, health and personnel care products. Recently the popularity of traditional preservatives has greatly diminished around the world due to regulatory, environmental and health issues. Concerns over traditional preservatives have resulted in the search for natural alternatives. There has been a significant increase in the use of plant products in many areas of human health such as treating common diseases and as preservatives in personal care products.
The ideal preservative should have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and the ability to be used in various types of formulations without affecting the function, color or odor of the final product. A preservative composition desirably inactivates bacteria, fungi as well as yeast in both cationic and anionic formulations. Additionally, preservatives should have a low risk of irritation and sensitizing potential. While certain essential oils have antibacterial activity and may be suitable in that regard, most have a distinct odor and are therefore not universally appropriate for use as preservatives in personal care products.